Mammoth Track Club wins prestigious award in Houston

January 16, 2012

The Running USA Hall of Champions named the Mammoth’s Track Club, as the third Allan Steinfeld Development Award winner at the Running USA Hall of Champions Dinner and Live Auction on Sunday evening at the Hyatt Regency in Houston.

"Since 2001, the Mammoth Track Club has led the U.S. distance running resurgence and inspired other training groups and U.S. athletes to train hard and dream big,” said Susan Weeks, Running USA CEO.

“We applaud and salute their impressive achievements and running passion, and collectively we look forward to their continued success during this Olympic year and beyond."

The development award was named after Allan Steinfeld, a long-time leader in the sport, who jump-started the U.S. distance running resurgence when, as head of the New York Road Runners, he allocated $20,000 seed money ($1 per U.S. entry at the 2000 New York City Marathon) for the development program Team USA Distance Running.

The team, launched in November 2000, produced training groups such as Team Running USA (two Olympic medals in 2004 and major marathon wins) and Team USA Minnesota (winner of the inaugural development award) and inspired the formation of others.

"All of us at the Mammoth Track Club are extremely excited to be granted the Allan Steinfeld Development Award for 2012,” said Terrence Mahon, Mammoth Track Club head coach and founder.

“Allan and the entire Running USA organization are visionaries in the world of long distance running. The work that they have done over the past 12 years is hugely responsible for the resurgence of American distance running.

“Without the generosity of this organization and their members, groups like the Mammoth Track Club would not be in existence today.

"This grant award will allow us to keep pushing the level of American running to new heights. Thank you so much for your support and belief in the Mammoth Track Club.

“There are so many great running centers around the country right now, so for us to win this award means a lot to the athletes and coaches that are working tirelessly every day. Thanks again for your support," Mahon added.

The Mammoth Track Club, Team Running USA until 2009, has been the most decorated and successful group of U.S. distance runners over the past decade-plus.

Since 2001, this training group has produced seven Olympians, earned two Olympic medals, has won more than 70 national titles and four major marathons and has also set more than 20 U.S. records and one world road record.